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PewterReport.com has learned the real contract numbers for Jason Pierre-Paul’s restructured deal. The numbers reported by ESPN’s Field Yates weren’t the whole story, as Pierre-Paul’s restructure actually favors the team in a big way.
Yates reported: “Because JPP was on the NFI list, Tampa Bay was not obligated to pay him his salary. Instead, the Bucs give him a chance to make up to $10.5M, with a base value of $5M. JPP gets some security as he works to resume his career.”
Pierre-Paul’s base salary was actually reduced to $3 million – not $5 million as originally reported – and his salary isn’t guaranteed. He can be released at any time without any salary cap penalty. If Pierre-Paul reinjures his neck at any point in the first three games his salary goes down to $498,000.
Pierre-Paul suffered a fractured neck in May due to a car crash and was placed on the team’s Non-Football Injury list after it was learned that he would miss the entire offseason program, training camp, preseason and the start of the regular season in Tampa Bay. His contract is heavily incentivized and he is expected to be ready for action after missing the first six games of the year and return for the final 10 if his rehab goes as planned. Pierre-Paul can earn up to $2 million if he’s on the active 46-man game day roster on a game-by-game basis – $200,000 at a time.
If Pierre-Paul, 30, plays in 50 percent of the plays on a per game basis he can also earn up to $2 million. He can earn an additional $2 million if his per game playing time increases to 70 percent.
Pierre-Paul was the team’s leading sacker last year with 12.5, and he can earn a $500,000 bonus if he gets eight sacks in 10 games. There is the opportunity to earn $1 million more if Pierre-Paul reaches 10 sacks in his abbreviated season.
So Pierre-Paul would have to play in 70 percent of the plays in all 10 games to earn the $9 million that was reported by Yates, and would have to get 10 sacks to have that number increase to $10.5 million. Yates was correct in reporting that the final year of Pierre-Paul’s contract was voided, meaning that he will be an unrestricted free agent in 2020.